'Lost luggage capital of the world'

If you and your suitcases permanently departed company in a U.S. airport, it's likely they ended up in Alabama

SCOTTSBORO, Ala. -This summer was one of the worst in recent memory for lost luggage and mishandled bags. Increased security procedures combined with a shortage of baggage handlers and a record number of passengers has created a perfect storm for travellers, leaving millions of bags damaged, delayed, pilfered, or outright lost forever at airports around the globe.

Airlines are obligated to hold on to lost bags for at least 90 days, but after that, they are free to dispose of them anyway they see fit.

While more than 99% of the mishandled bags are returned to their rightful owners within five days, according to industry statistics, it raises the question, what happens to the rest?

If the bag was lost by a Canadian airline, like WestJet Airlines Ltd. or Air Canada, its contents went to charity.

If the bag was lost in the U.K., it likely had its contents auctioned off. But if it was lost in the U.S., it likely found its way to Scottsboro, Ala.

Tucked in the rural foothills of Northeast Alabama is the Unclaimed Baggage Center, a small purgatory for luggage lost by U.S. airlines. Located along a stretch of highway that has more baptist churches than gas stations, it has become a destination for nearly a million bargain hunters a year who drive to the rural region searching for deals.

The Unclaimed Baggage Center has earned Scottsboro the unofficial honour of being the Lost Luggage Capital of the World. "We have people who come from every state in the country, and many, many countries across the globe," said Brenda Cantrell, the center's director of sales and marketing. "It is a little off the beaten path, but that's part of the mystique of what we are."

And business has been good. In July, U.S. carriers misplaced on average 7.93 bags per 1,000 passengers, compared to 3.84 for the same month in 2002, according to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics. More mishandled bags means more inventory at the centre, Ms. Cantrell said.

And the United States is not alone in its troubles this summer. British Airways, which uses London's Heathrow Airport as its major hub, misplaced on average 28 bags for every 1,000 customers in the second quarter of this year and has become subject to a multi-million class action suit as a result.

At the root of the problem is increased security precautions for carry-on luggage, including restrictions on gels and liquids limiting them to 3 ounce containers. This has more people than ever checking bags and fewer baggage handlers on the ground as airlines restructured in the post-9/11 era.

WestJet says it only has about 8 to 12 bags that are never claimed of the 1.5 million checked each month with the Calgary-based airline. Like its domestic rival, Air Canada, WestJet gives those bags and contents to charity, according to a company spokesman.

The depot has an exclusive deal with the "majority of U.S. airlines," Ms. Cantrell said, and has no idea what it is buying until it opens the bags up at its processing centre.

It was founded in 1970 by Doyle Owens, who, as the story goes, borrowed a pickup truck and $300 to drive up to Washington, D.C., and pick up his first load of luggage. Mr. Owens hauled the bags back to his rented apartment, sorted them out and quickly sold their contents. He realized he was on to something.

Mr. Owens son, Bryan, now runs the centrer. While it does not disclose how many bags it receives a day, Ms. Cantrell said, it places more than 7,000 new items a day on its shelves.

Thousands of visitors a day come to sift through designer clothing, golf clubs, surf boards, strollers and of course, the luggage itself, which retail for up to $100 for large-sized bag.

Ms. Cantrell said it marks down the items from 80% to 20% discounts depending on the quality of the goods. Nearly 60% of the goods recovered are clothing and the centre also owns the largest dry-cleaning facility in the state.

Over the years, the UBC has acquired its fair share of oddities, including a case full of Egyptian artifacts, including a bronzed burial mask and a mummified falcon. Its also recovered a life-size puppet of Jim Henson's troll-character, Hoggle, from the 1986 fantasy film, Labyrinth. Most of the oddities are housed in a makeshift museum on the property, but some are sold to customers.

"The most expensive item that we've ever sold on the retail side, was a 5.8 carat diamond solitaire ring," Mr. Cantrell said. "It was appraised at $46,000 and we sold it for $23,000."